JOUBERT – PETRUS JACOBUS (PIET)
| Born: 1831/01/20 Rank: KOMMANDANT.-GENERAL. Regiment: ZAR – ALL FORCES – NATAL OFFENSIVE GPS: S27°20.874 E29°36.667 |
Reason for death: DIED OF PERITONITIS Place of death: PRETORIA Date of death: 1900/03/27 Memorial: FARM RUSTFONTEIN – BETWEEN VOLKSRUST AND VREDE |
Note:
PIET JOUBERT WAS BORN IN THE DISTRICT OF PRINCE ALBERT, IN THE EASTERN-CAPE. HE BECAME A MEMBER OF THE ZAR (TRANSVAAL) VOLKSRAAD (PARLIAMENT) IN 1866 AND BECAME VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ZAR IN 1896. HE STOOD AGAINST PAUL KRUGER FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE ZAR ON AT LEAST THREE OCCASIONS.
IN 1880/1881 HE WAS COMMANDING GENERAL AT THE BATTLES OF LAINGSNEK, SCHUINSHOOGTE, INGOGO AND MAJUBA.
IN THE FIRST PHASES OF THE ANGLO-BOER WAR HE SERVED AS COMMANDANT GENERAL ON THE NATAL FRONT. HE WAS HEAVILY CRITICISED FOR HIS LACK OF ASSERTIVENESS AND ACTION IN PERMITTING THE FOLLOW UP, AND ACTION AGAINST, THE BRITISH FORCES WHO WERE RETREATING TOWARDS LADYSMITH AFTER THE BATTLE OF MODDERSPRUIT, MUCH TO THE CONSTERNATION OF LOUIS BOTHA AND MANY OTHER OFFICERS. GENERAL JOUBERT IS SAID TO HAVE SAID “YOU DO NOT ATTACK A RETREATING ENEMY”.
DURING A RAID SOUTH OF THE TUGELA RIVER ON THE 26TH NOVEMBER 1899, GENERAL JOUBERT WAS THROWN FROM HIS HORSE, CAUSING INTERNAL INJURIES. HE RETURNED TO PRETORIA WHERE HE DIED. LOUIS BOTHA THEN ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE BOER FORCES ON THE NATAL FRONT
